Kickstart your January! (FREEBIES and GIVEAWAY)

We all LOVE break and dread look forward to going back to school!  No matter if we like it or not it will come!  I just love putting together these monthly posts to help prepare for the new month!  This posts will be filled with ideas and a giveaway, too…yippee!  I will over FLASH freebies on two of my center packets, $100 savings on centers returns, a closer look at Taking Back Weekends, a Really Good Stuff $175 giveaway, and LOTS of additional freebies!

We will start with something FUN and EXCITING…..FLASH FREEBIES!  As you know I released THEMED centers later this past spring!  The bundles vary in grade level and the themes covered in each!  Below you will be able to download the FLASH freebies of two of the center packets included!  The first set (Bears) is part of my Kindergarten Set #2 bundle and the following freebie is (Penguins) from my First Grade Set #1!  Be sure to download these freebies as they will only last through 1/2!

FLASH FREEBIE #1: Click *HERE* or on the image below to download the freebie set of Bear centers for Kinder!

FLASH FREEBIE #2: Click *HERE* or on the image below to download the freebie set of Penguin centers for first grade!

Needing to replenish your center stash?  Snag each of my center bundles!  The bundles come with 250 centers and are on sale for $100 off through 1/2/17!  That’s 250 centers for $25!

If you interested in snagging the complete KINDERGARTEN TAKING BACK WEEKENDS BUNDLE you can snag the complete year for 65% off and grab the bundle for $20!

 No post is complete without a giveaway 😉  In January I think of it being a new start….now in teaching we usually think of our restart button being over summer.  However, there is just something about a ‘refresh’ button in January… that just gives you the push you need to get through the end of the year!  Now, I won’t say that I’m not crazy… but for me a reset is usually something visually appealing!  You know like…rearranging the classroom furniture, organizing ‘that’ junk drawer, wiping down desks…you know the fun stuff!  Ha!  One of the best “resets” I ever did in my classroom was to spruce up my book boxes!  I used to have a set of primary colored bins…. but they just didn’t pop for me anymore!  Purchasing new bins a few years back was for sure a RESET!

So….why am I rambling about book bins?  Because one of YOU will win FOUR sets of new book bins! YAY!  Each set (12) can be a different color and you can choose your own color scheme!  All of my book bins came from Really Good Stuff and they have held up great! Be sure to scroll a little further to sign up for the giveaway using the Rafflecopter.

Below is a look how I paired: blue, green, pink, and purple bins into my classroom decor!  My classroom library had a sure POP after the new bins!

I paired the new bins with Maria’s library labels and I was in library heaven! Ha!

I also used my extra bins to organize my KinderLiteracy books!

I was able to organize the unit lesson plans and corresponding books into one bin!

Again, I am giving away 4 sets (12 per set) of book bins to one lucky teacher!!!!   You can enter directly below!  The giveaway will close 1/2 🙂 You can view THIS link to pick out your favorite colors!

How about we talk a little fine motor fun?  I had first started these fun fine motor tubs in my classroom last fall!  They were a hit so changing them out each season became a must!

Explore tubs have been added as a option to my daily five/guided reading time.  I also use explore tubs as an option during indoor recess {we seem to have that a lot}.  I have eight explore tubs but that is just because that’s how many nicely fit onto the shelf- – no other reason ha!

Alright, up first… pony beads and pipe cleaners!  Well, you might be saying, “Golly we have done this every month!”  However, this is such an important skill and one that our students tend to lack!  I was so surprised to see that this skill AKA pincer grasp should really be developed by 12 months of age! With the pincer grasp the student uses their index finger and thumb, or the index and middle fingers opposing the thumb, to pick up small objects.  The student at this age should be able to pick up and place items in a controlled manner.

Build a 3D snowflake!  For this explore tub you will want to print off these freebie cards and then gather your supplies.  I chose to use craft sticks and foam balls.  However, this would also work just as well with small marshmallows and toothpicks/craft sticks!  You can choose what would be best for your kiddos!  With the foam balls my kids have to reuse the supplies so they are not able to take them home.  If you were using marshmallows you might choose for them to take them home after they are finished!

Build a wintry tower!  Students will be working on that pincer grasp once again!  They will make a small playdoh platform and the stick their tooth pick or craft stick into the playdoh.  They will then place the pony beads onto the stick one at a time!